"You see, magic is supposed to be free. No chants whatsoever—just your mental connection with the Elemental Lords," Bell explained.
"What?! No chants? So you could just put your hands on your hips and act like a rocket thruster?" Rai's eyes went wide.
Smack!
Lia whacked the back of his head, and Rai clutched it in pain.
"Well… basically, yeah. Just follow your imagination," Bell continued.
"Everything used to be fine. Everyone lived in peace—until one organization of wealthy and powerful people did something unthinkable: they tried to capture the Elemental Lords."
The trio gasped. A sudden gust of wind blew past them, rustling the grass beneath their feet.
"Capturing high-level sorcerers is one thing, but Elemental Lords? How?!" Niko clutched his head in disbelief.
"Simple," Bell said. "The Elementals are human-shaped. And one of the organization's members… was an Elemental Lord himself. He's the one who started it all."
Bell slid several pages from its bag, handing one to each of them.
"The main elemental forces in nature are Fire, Water, Wind, Earth… and also Light and Void."
Each page displayed a glowing symbol—one for each element.
"Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth are the most common. Their followers once spread their teachings across the world through pilgrimages," Bell narrated.
One page showed a figure cloaked in fabric, hood pulled low over its face. The silhouette was eerily familiar.
"Wait... is that—?" Rai leaned closer, eyes narrowing.
"Yup. Your ancestor—Hugh Mungus. The Fire Lord. The very first 'fire-breather' known to mankind," Bell said.
"Whoa. I never thought reading books could be this fun," Lia chuckled.
"Oh, we could've had much more fun if the organization hadn't interfered," Bell grumbled.
Its tone darkened.
"The Lightkeeper—yes, that Light Lord—founded the organization now known as Archivum Noctis. That's the same 'Noctis' Reginald mentioned before. Then the Lightkeeper created the sword that doomed this world—Solus Aetherna, the Eternal Sun."
"The sword… what does it do? And why is it so powerful?" Lia asked.
"It's not even a real sword," Bell muttered. "It's just a blade of pure light. But if it stabs you, you're completely immobilized. Like one of those spell cards from a trading card game."
"Wait, you mean… the spell card from Ya-Gi-Uh? Blade of Blinding Insight?" Niko blinked. "That thing was based on real events? Well, I'll be damned..."
"They started capturing the Elemental Lords one by one," Bell continued. "Until every single one of them was taken."
It paused, its voice low.
"And then… they created me. The Perfect Catalyst." Bell let out a heavy sigh.
"Each Lord's power was siphoned into me—an exact replica of their magical prime. Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Thunder. All of it—mine."
Its tone grew quieter. "Until they tried to force the Dark Lord's essence into me… That's when I gained sentience."
"So… at first, you were just a regular book? Like the one Ms. Jobber uses?" Lia asked.
"Precisely," Bell nodded. "There are many versions of me, scattered and forgotten. But most of them were either broken down, stolen, or self-destructed—like most catalysts tend to do. The pressure of housing five Elemental Lords' powers in a single book isn't something to take lightly."
It hovered slightly above the ground, its voice solemn.
"Hence… the extinction of the Old World Tree. The sacred tree that served as the source of my pages. Once, it stood at the center of all creation." It paused, letting the weight of its words settle. "Now? Not even a stump remains."
A flicker of light pulsed across its cover.
"That's why… I was elated to see a sapling of it—growing again, right there in the greenhouse." Bell groaned softly. "And that's also why Reginald was so furious about it… and made Lia cry."
"If Mr. Mister knew that," Rai pondered aloud, "then how old is he? And Ms. Quack?"
"Older than the grandparents of your grandparents," Bell said. "But he was just like you guys the first time we met—just a curious teenager with endless energy."
"I see..." Niko's face turned serious. "Then why are you betraying them, Bell? Would you… obliterate us, the same way they did?"
Bell snickered. Then it burst into laughter.
"I'm glad you heard their point of view first," it said, calming down. "It's always better to judge after seeing both sides of the story. Don't forget that, kids—never judge anyone based on just one version."
"Reginald. Martha. And Dio," Bell began. "The very first bearers of Ashbell—the sentient grimoire infused with the power of five elements."
It looked off into the distance, its voice heavy.
"We were sent on what became our final mission by Archivum Noctis itself. Our target?"
It paused.
"The last standing lord—The Lightkeeper."
The trio gasped in disbelief.
"HA! Serves you right, traitor!" Rai shouted, punching the air.
"Who would've thought... the organization it created would turn on itself," Lia muttered, visibly shaken. "The adult world is terrifying..."
"You haven't seen anything yet, Lia," Bell said, its tone sobering. "The adult world's full of betrayal, lies, and self-preservation. More than you can imagine."
It floated out from Lia's bag, the air around it growing noticeably heavier.
"When we approached him—the Lightkeeper—there was resistance. A lot of it. Loyalists, followers… even its own kin. All standing in our way."
Bell paused, eyes narrowing.
"It didn't feel like a mission anymore. It felt like we were marching into a war—against an entire eastern crime syndicate."
It visibly shivered, the memory rattling through its bindings.
"As we ventured deeper into the Lightkeeper's sanctum, the traps began to spring. We should've known better." Bell's voice softened as it lay across Lia's lap, its expression distant.
"Its reputation for strategic brilliance wasn't just for show. Every step we took… it had already predicted. But we let our pride blind us."
It winced, pain flashing across its cover.
"We've survived dozens of covert missions and guerrilla assaults. And yet… we were undone by something so simple—The Nightingale Floor."
The others exchanged confused looks.
"An ancient trap," Bell explained, barely above a whisper. "A floor that sings with every step. We didn't stand a chance."
It took a long breath.
"See, the Lightkeeper… being the Lord of Light means it can move at impossible speeds, even bend dimensions. Taking care of us?" It scoffed bitterly. "It was like swatting flies."
There was a pause. Then, quieter—
"Dio… He's the one who stepped on the floor. The Lightkeeper tore through his chest with one hand. Like it was nothing."
Beat.
"DAAAYUUUUM." Rai and Niko recoiled in sync, flinching sideways like they were caught in a 90s sitcom freeze-frame.
Cue imaginary laugh track.
Bell blinked at them. "...Was that really necessary?"
Lia smacked both of their shoulders.
"Show some respect! It just told you its friend died, and the first thing you say is 'DAAAYUUUUM'?"
She raised her hand again—they both flinched.
She smirked and lowered it without striking.
"Thought so."
Rai rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish.
"Sorry, sorry. But come on—that story went from ninja infiltration to instant chest deletion in, like, five seconds."
Niko nodded, arms flailing like an inflatable tube man.
"Yeah, like—'Dio, no—!'"
*fwump*
"'Dio, gone.'"
Bell sighed. "You three are the worst."
But it chuckled anyway, a low, tired sound.
"Back to the story—yeah, it was shocking." Bell's tone sobered again.
"To make it simple for you guys… the Lightkeeper demolished us in under five seconds. Real time."
It glanced at them.
"But from our perspective? It felt cinematic. Like everything slowed down. We saw every moment, every step—like it took forever."
"Then what's with you breaking the pact, incinerating Dio, and Martha going crazy after you revoked the mark from her body?" Niko cut in.
"We're getting there—keep your pipe down, Niko," Rai said, patting his back.
"Breaking the pact wasn't just about walking away," Bell said quietly. "It triggered the override spell buried inside me—planted by the Lightkeeper, in case the Noctis ever came for it."
It paused, the glow on its pages dimming slightly.
"I lost control. I couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't warn them. I just… watched. Useless."
"Dio was obliterated the moment he stepped onto the Nightingale Floor. But Martha… she suffered worse."
"The Lightkeeper didn't kill her with light. No." Bell's voice dropped.
"It used lightning—surgical, cruel, precise. Straight to the brain. Neural pathways fried like wet circuits. She wasn't dead… just broken. And I had to watch it happen, paralyzed by a failsafe spell buried in my own pages."
He paused, his voice trembling.
Lia covered her face with her hand, horrified.
"But what about when they said you forcefully revoked her mark, Bell? Wasn't that what drove her mad?" Niko asked, tilting his head as he rubbed his chin.
"That?" Bell scoffed. "You won't believe what came after that…"
"The Lightkeeper used the Dark Lord's power within me to strip the magic entirely from Martha's body."
Bell's tone darkened further.
"As for Reginald… oh, it made an example out of him."
"Snapped every single joint in his body. One by one. Left him crumpled like a ragdoll."
"Then, piece by piece, it gathered Dio's ashes, Martha's brain-fried body, and Reginald's mangled frame."
"It didn't stop there. It teleported to the gates of Noctis and dumped the whole bundle like a trophy—a message: 'Don't come for me again. Or this is what awaits you.'"
Its glow flickered dimly.
"And then, as payment for daring to challenge it… it took me. Ashbell. The so-called Perfect Catalyst. I became its prisoner."
"To the rest of Noctis, that made me a traitor. The betrayer."
It turned its eyes toward the floor.
"And where do you think you're standing now?"
"This academy—your academy—used to be called Aetherhold. It was built by the Lightkeeper. It fed me knowledge. Gave me purpose. And for the first time, I was treated like a companion… not just a cursed tool."
"So… you're siding with the Lightkeeper now?" Lia asked, narrowing her eyes.
Bell gave a weary shrug, its cover creasing slightly as if mimicking a sigh.
"Not exactly."
"But it is trying. Letting this academy exist as a place of free thought, free speech—even if its foundation is built on ashes and broken pacts." It paused, then added with a hollow chuckle,
"Hard to say if that's redemption… or just guilt wearing a mask. Until—"
Bell trailed off.
The trio leaned forward, eyes wide, hanging on the edge of the sentence.
"What? Why are you all staring at me like that?" Bell blinked, hovering in mild confusion.
"Don't leave us on a cliffhanger, man," Rai whined.
"But there you have it—the story of them, from my side. What else do you wanna know? I'm not here to host a talk show." Bell furrowed its brow and crossed its arms—metaphorically.
They all laughed at the top of the hill, basking in the warm glow of sunset. Their remedial task was done. And in just a few weeks, a new semester would begin.
A new page in their lives.
"HEEEEEEY—!" someone shouted from below.
It was Phoebe. Her long blonde hair fluttered gently in the wind as she made her way up the hill.
Everyone waved their hands to greet her—except for one robotic guy, who couldn't even wave properly.
The moment Bell spotted her, it let out a tiny yelp and swooped straight back into Lia's bag.
"What are you guys doing up here? Looks fun. Can I join?" she giggled.
"Yes, Bee. Come sit next to me."
Lia patted the grass beside her, and Phoebe plopped down with a light bounce.
"Oh! I haven't introduced her to you guys yet, right?"
Lia clapped her hands together and gestured with a smile.
"Niko, Rai—this is Phoebe."
She turned. "Phoebe, meet Niko and Rai."
Niko gave a relaxed thumbs-up.
Rai, on the other hand, froze up like a malfunctioning android again.
"Nice to meet you, guys. By the way, what year are you exactly?" Phoebe asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Aren't we all second-years?" Niko replied, a little puzzled.
"Well, Phoebe's technically a first-year," Lia chimed in. "But her grades are way higher than most of us—heck, even better than some third-years," she explained.
"What brings you here today, Phoebe?" Niko asked.
"Oh, I was just curious about the boy Likka's always talking about. Turns out, it was you," Phoebe said with a smile.
"What's her deal anyway? Why's she so stubborn? I'm just a nobody from an orphanage," Niko shrugged.
He noticed Rai hadn't spoken at all since Phoebe arrived, and grinned.
"Unlike Rai here, who has the lineage of the 'Legendary Fire Breather'—he barely even talks about it," Niko said, slapping Rai on the back.
"HWAAAA-T..." Rai slowly turned his head, glaring at Niko like he'd just betrayed a sacred secret.
"Really?! Oh, I'm so glad to hear that!" Phoebe clapped her hands, genuinely delighted. Lia raised an eyebrow, curious.
"Why's that, Bee?" she asked.
"Well, people either avoid me because of my perfect grades or because of my lineage," Phoebe replied, rolling her eyes. "It's always either, 'Oh, you're just lucky you were born with a strong lineage,' or, 'Of course you get good grades, you have magic in your blood.' It's so annoying."
"Do you have any idea who's the root of your lineage, Phoebe?" Niko asked, curiosity piqued.
"Oh, can you guess?" she said playfully, clasping her hands together with a bright smile.
"The Whispering Winds?" Lia guessed.
"Nope!" Phoebe replied cheerfully.
"The Dark Lord?" Niko ventured.
"Seriously?" she pouted, clearly unimpressed.
"I give up," Rai muttered, raising both hands in defeat.
"Silly! It's the Lightkeeper!" she beamed. "The Lord Bob. B. Que!"
The rest of them froze, eyes bulging in disbelief.
Silence.
"Wait... you're telling me you're related to that Lightkeeper?" Niko finally croaked.
Phoebe nodded happily, flashing a bright, innocent smile. "Yup! Direct line. Cool, right?"
None of them said a word.
Rai's expression twitched—his eyes wide, his soul quietly screaming inside.
Niko kept his smile, but it was cracking at the edges.
Lia blinked twice, then slowly turned to Bell's bag like it might offer her an escape tunnel.
Inside the bag, Bell let out the tiniest groan.
"Too soon? Definitely too soon."
And just like that, the sun dipped beneath the horizon—dragging with it any hope of a quiet semester.